Your children want to learn how to ski. You want to teach them, but how? It’s difficult and dangerous, right? Not really. If you take the proper precautions, and get yourself a good instructor, learning how to ski isn’t a big deal, and it will be lots of fun for the kiddos.
How To Keep Your Children From Freezing To Death Out There
In a word: layers. A base layer of wool is best, but you may have to use synthetics. Long underwear is a must, along with an insulating layer on colder days. Lightweight fleece or wool tops and pants. Avoid cotton as it soaks up moisture and holds it. When the wind blows, it will make your kids cold and miserable.
A neck gaiter will help protect their little necks, socks that are waterproof or resistant will help keep their feet warm. The socks should come up above the calf and be made of wool or a blend of wool and spandex (or other synthetics).
Medium-tint goggles will help them see better in the bright snow, mittens are essential for keeping hands warm, and hand warmers will help when it gets really cold and the mittens aren’t enough.
After a long day, you’ll probably want to check into Tremblant rentals for shelter from the cold.
Rent Skis To Start
If your kids are “never evers,” rent skis. That way, they can get accustomed to it, and figure out if they like it. Rentals are cheap. Buying is expensive.
Tips For Starting Out
Kids love doing new things, but only if it’s interesting and fun. Make it boring or a chore, and you’ll lose them – fast. So, make learning a fun and enjoyable experience. Hot chocolate, french fries, hot dogs, and snacks are great for skiing, and they’re something to look forward to after an especially challenging slope.
Practicing moving around on skis can be difficult unless you’re on a gentle slope. You don’t need a chairlift. You just need something that will make it easy for your kids to get the hang of it.
Start out with the basics – a bungee cord that holds the tips of skis together, forming a wedge shape. It helps with control when kids are just starting out. Teach your kids how to stand up by sitting on the back of their skis and grabbing their knees. Pull up. The other way to get up is to put their hands on the ground in front of their boots and push. Always teach your kids to face the skis across the hill, not up or down.
Don’t forget to carry extra clothes, like underwear or diapers, baby wipes, and mittens for the toddlers. Even older kids might need gloves or mittens if the snow is really heavy and wet. You might also need sunscreen, even if it’s not that bright outside.
Always try to gamify the experience. The “I-spy” game is a good one and it makes time on the chairlift fly by. If it’s really cold, you may need to think of other ideas, like singing songs on the way up or playing a word game.
While many parents want their kids to get down the slopes safely, not everyone focuses on turning, which is important. When turning, make noises like you’re in a car, or like an animal. Make it fun, and they’ll repeat what you’re doing.
Finally, let the lift operator know that you have a small child who is a first-time skier. He or she will slow down the chairlift and take extra precautions to help you get your child on and off the lift safely.
Katherine Bryant has worked in the travel industry all her working life. She is currently raising her young family whilst working part time as a ski instructor. She loves to share her passion for travel and outdoor adventure and does so by blogging for travel sites.
